Biomedical

Thermal sprayed coatings for medical implants are, in the wide spectrum of applications, undoubtedly the most exotic representative in the thermal spray industry. Implants must be biocompatible, corrosion-resistant and able to withstand enormous loads. Thermal sprayed hydroxyl apatite (HA) led to the first joints coated with an artificial bone material. The foreign body in the bone tissue was virtually made invisible under the prosthesis. Without doubt, this was a milestone in the history of prostheses as these coated implants grew directly into and with the bone and thus provided long-term stable anchoring.